BLOG 3: Project outcomes and personal development reflection task
Who knew that we would be hit with a worldwide pandemic that would force us to say at home and change everything we took for granted. One of the themes that we have covered in Better Lives is Social Responsibility. I think right now more than ever we need to be socially responsible, not just in fashion, but in our everyday life.
I believe that this one has been some of the most challenging times for me, mentally, physically and creatively. Having to work on a make-up look without any make-up, it can be challenging, but it has helped me to think outside of the box. The activities we did in class helped me to think quick, which will help me in my projects as I go forward in photoshoots. Sometimes things don’t go the way they are supposed to, and you need to act fast with what you have around you, which is what I had to do in the activity of “ 2 looks in 2 hours” (pictures 1-2). While we all had to do the work in our own houses and didn’t see everyone’s process, it was interesting to see how different everyone replies to the same project. While photography is something you do alone, it is you and a camera; I want to work more collaboratively because they are so many ideas that can improve with just another mind put into work.
For his project, I chose to combine the better lives topic of social responsibility with the in-class theme of imperfection, choosing to represent the key workers, mainly in the health care industry. A few days before having to do this make-up look, I was watching the news and heard about a doctor that got her car trashed a graffiti with the words RATA CONTAGIOSA (English translation: contagious rat). It made me feel angry, and that there should something be done about it, but because I couldn’t leave my house, I decided to represent it in this make-up look.
They are different parts of this look (picture 3):
-The face mask: only protection the nurses and doctors have.
-The eyeshadow: representation of sickness and tiredness.
-The tears: even though they are working day and night to keep us safe, they are being attacked by their neighbours because they are “carrying” the virus.
-The wings: in reality, they are the only ones that can save us from this pandemic as there is no cure or vaccination.
Making a piece of artwork that you like, it always makes you feel good, but when that piece of artwork can mean so much, it becomes much more, its a statement.
25th May 2020 @ 2:08 pm
For the final blog, we’ve been tasked with writing a review on one of our peer’s blog posts and reflect on how they have interpreted the better live themes. After scrolling through a variety of posts I’ve realised that the majority have gained contrasting understandings behind these themes and everyone has had differed experiences in their allocated projects.
The blog I have chosen to reflect on for this is written by Alicia Chana Escapa – BLOG 3: Project outcomes and personal development reflection task . The reason for this is that I found the content extremely relevant with today’s circumstances in mind. Her attitude towards the COVID-19 pandemic certainly moved me with its sincerity while at the same time keeping an open-minded approach to the personal issues it had raised. Alicia mentioned her opinion rightly so at the very beginning of the blog that ‘right now more than ever we need to be socially responsible, not just in fashion, but in our everyday life’. Then on developing her outcome for hair and makeup she has structured the blog in a flowing form reflecting on how she has personally adapted to life while respecting government advice with responsibility, protecting herself and others and avoiding none essential travel to collect make up tools. The fact this has inspired her to think outside of the box is something I can relate to as a person also in the creative industry that would usually rely on typical tools and devices. During my time in Isolation, I analysed the opportunities within my art of image making, coming to the conclusion I should turn to self portraiture. Of course this idea is the first solution when human contact and face to face collaboration is forbidden, but without any studio lighting, film process equipment and only a suit case of casual clothing, capturing something in my style became almost impossible. With mindful choice of natural and domestic lighting, all too familiar location and my own wardrobe I had been forced to change the way I work; an experience of my own and Alicia’s prove it can still pan out as a really compelling piece of art, often more so with the impact of sympathy and relation viewers may feel when looking at these lockdown alterations. Alicia responded similarly by replacing her makeup pallets with aspects of nature, surrounding materials and additional accessories such as PPE that bring together the series suitably by resembling realism and context.
To a T, Alicia has made [Image 3] a combination of virtual, literal and metaphorical visuals of the way in which she perceives health care workers at this point in time; a motive that came from an unfortunate sighting that moved her in an opposing way. Her response is somewhat negative with such draining makeup, but uplifting at the same time with use of wings resembling their angelic behaviour and care.
This student has clearly demonstrated progression in trail of thought and experience with unusual materials. She has shown awareness of her surroundings and given evidence of her passion towards social responsibility with sincerity and touching art.